Caroline's Mom Ch. 15

My parents spent the week with us, and left after telling us to call when the babies were born. Dad said he was going to come right back and see his grandchildren. Mom said the two new mothers would need help for the first few weeks, and she is less expensive than a baby nurse. Rachel said we could afford it, but grandma and grandpa could come and play with the babies for as long as they liked.

That night Rachel woke me.

"My water broke! Alan, get up."

"Caroline, get up, your mother's water broke."

"I think my water broke too."

I called and left a message for the doctor, and then rushed them to the hospital, knowing that the doctor would meet us there. The drive seemed to take forever.

At the admissions desk they asked me which one was my wife. I told them that they were both my girlfriends. I was allowed in the delivery room and watched as Rachel delivered Caroline's brother, she insisted on naming him Alan. Then, 30 minutes later Caroline delivered a daughter who she named Mary. After seeing my new family, I called my parents. They had just gotten home from the airport. Dad said they would get the first flight they could. Mom got on and asked how everyone was. I told her that the girls were fine and gave her all the details. Then I told her that I couldn't wait to see them.

After I tucked everyone in I left the hospital to get some rest. I hadn't been home for 10 minutes when the phone rang. It was Sheila, Caroline's best girlfriend, she was crying.

"I'm so sorry, I just heard."

"Heard what? That I was a father twice."

"Oh Alan the hospital didn't call yet, you don't know?

"Know what?"

The line went dead.

The phone began to ring, and I knew something was wrong. I didn't want to answer it, but I did.

"Hello"

"Hello this is Dr. Delgado at Mercy Hospital, is this Alan Wright?"

"Yes it is, is there anything wrong?"

"There have been some complications in Caroline's case. We need you to come to the hospital now and discuss it."

I hung up the phone without answering the doctor and rushed to the hospital. When I got there, Dr. Delgado met me at the nurse's station. He led me to a small room on the side and began his speech.

"After you left here Caroline had a seizure. Evidently a blood clot formed and traveled to her brain. It was small but it seems to have caused a great deal of damage. She might not survive the night or she may however recover fully or she could remain in a coma for many years. We will have to wait and see."

I asked Dr. Delgado if I could see her. He explained to me that they were working on her and hooking her up to the machines that would keep her alive until (hopefully) she awakened from the coma. This would take several hours. After that I would be allowed to see her.

I sat down and began to cry. I was sure that Rachel didn't know. I would have to tell her but it would wait until she was stronger. My parents finally arrived and I continued to cry, as I fumbled through what had happened. My mother held me and cried as well. I could tell that dad was choking back his tears.

Exhausted, I finally fell asleep on a chair in the waiting room. My mom and dad watched over me as if I were a small child again. Morning came and I asked to see Caroline. They allowed me to look into her room through a window in her door. She had been moved into this room from a treatment room, only minutes ago. She was on a respirator and looked so small and helpless. All the wires and tubing seemed to be sucking the life out of her, although I knew they were there to help her. I could only watch for a little while before I started to cry again.

Dad said I should go home and clean up so that I could talk to Rachel. I needed to tell her about Caroline, the sooner the better. She is after all, Rachel's daughter. It would be the hardest thing I had ever done, but it would be better if she heard it from me first. I nodded to him and went home to change and clean up.

I hurried back to the hospital. Visiting hours would start shortly, mom and dad both wanted to see the babies so we went there first. My son and daughter were squalling loudly. The nurses held up so that we could see them. After they got to see the babies we went to see Rachel. She could tell by looking at my face that something was up. Before I could say anything she asked me what was wrong.

"Caroline..." I mumbled

"What's wrong with Caroline? Alan, tell me."

"She had a stroke she's in a coma."

"Is she going to be all right?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

With that she started to cry. I held and consoled her. As we sat there the nurse brought in Alan for Rachel to feed. She asked the nurse to bring Mary in so she could be fed too. The nurse said she couldn't do that, but after I spoke with the doctor they bent the rules. It was nice to watch Rachel feed my son and daughter.

After about an hour the babies were returned to the nursery and I got permission for Rachel to visit Caroline. We walked slowly to the intensive care room and looked through the window. Rachel and I both wept. We were hoping that there would have been some improvement since the last time I saw her. But that was not the case. We searched for and found Dr. Delgado. He told us that it was too soon to tell, and that there was still hope.

Later that afternoon mom and dad came back to see Rachel. They told her how beautiful the babies were . We talked for most of the afternoon and then visiting hours were over. I spent the next hour looking at Caroline praying for her recovery and thinking that Mary should get to know her mother.

All of a sudden the alarms started to go off in her room.

Over the PA system came the words. Code blue ICU code blue ICu

Her heart had stopped she seemed to be having seizures the doctors worked franticly. Then the alarms stopped and the doctors seemed to relax. But it was too soon, the alarms went off again. They worked for about 15 minutes then every thing stopped, and they pulled the sheet over her face. I knew it was over.

It has been three years since she died. We named my daughter Caroline instead of Mary. Rachel and I are raising them as twins. We take them to the cemetery to see Caroline every year on their birthday. We also tell the children about Caroline and how if it wasn't for her we wouldn't have the wonderful family we have today.

- The End -